What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power at 8000 ft over 22B. Unable to locate it. Tried for N41. Unable landed in trees. Fuel tanks empty. (.4) the pilot altered his preflight inspection, on the day of the accident, by putting an additive into the fuel. He stated that after doing so, he 'may not have tightened the right gas cap.' The pilot visually checked the fuel tanks, and reported 16 gallons of fuel onboard. He departed for a local flight and approximately 35 minutes later, while doing air work, the engine 'suddenly quit'. He attempted to glide back to the airport, and when he realized he would not make the runway, he performed a forced landing into a wooded area. Examination revealed the fuel tanks had maintained their integrity, with no indication of leakage. The right fuel cap was found off, hanging by its chain with no fuel in the tank and no indication of soil contamination beneath the tank. A 'trace' of fuel was found in the left tank and the center tank was empty. The inspector stated that no fuel was shown on either fuel gauge and no fuel was found in the fuel lines or carburetor, with about a half ounce of fuel in the fuel filter. There was no fuel smell on the ground surrounding the airpl ane. (-23) aircraft took off from Waterbury-oxford airport at 9:10 am on 04/28/98, and crashed at 10:00 am near airport. Pilot reports engine failed. No fuel found in aircraft. Pilot did not have a flight plan or an ELT on board.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER AT 8000 FT OVER 22B. UNABLE TO LOCATE IT. TRIED FOR N41. UNABLE LANDED IN TREES. FUEL TANKS EMPTY. (.4) THE PILOT ALTERED HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, BY PUTTING AN ADDITIVE INTO THE FUEL. HE STATED THAT AFTER DOING SO, HE 'MAY NOT HAVE TIGHTENED THE RIGHT GAS CAP.' THE PILOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS, AND REPORTED 16 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. HE DEPARTED FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY 35 MINUTES LATER, WHILE DOING AIR WORK, THE ENGINE 'SUDDENLY QUIT'. HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE BACK TO THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY, HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING INTO A WOODED AREA. EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS HAD MAINTAINED THEIR INTEGRITY, WITH NO INDICATION OF LEAKAGE. THE RIGHT FUEL CAP WAS FOUND OFF, HANGING BY ITS CHAIN WITH NO FUEL IN THE TANK AND NO INDICATION OF SOIL CONTAMINATION BENEATH THE TANK. A 'TRACE' OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK AND THE CENTER TANK WAS EMPTY. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT NO FUEL WAS SHOWN ON EITHER FUEL GAUGE AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES OR CARBURETOR, WITH ABOUT A HALF OUNCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL FILTER. THERE WAS NO FUEL SMELL ON THE GROUND SURROUNDING THE AIRPL ANE. (-23) AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM WATERBURY-OXFORD AIRPORT AT 9:10 AM ON 04/28/98, AND CRASHED AT 10:00 AM NEAR AIRPORT. PILOT REPORTS ENGINE FAILED. NO FUEL FOUND IN AIRCRAFT. PILOT DID NOT HAVE A FLIGHT PLAN OR AN ELT ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.